Stem-winding watch



(No Model.)

D. GRUBN.

STEM WINDING WATCH.

No. 493,584. Patented Mar. 14, 1898.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DIETRIOH GRUEN, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

STEM-WINDING WATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,584, dated March14, 1893.

Application filed June 6, 1892. Serial No. 435,662. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DIETRICH GRUEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Oolumbus, in the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Stem Winding Watches, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to watches in which the winding and hands settingtrain is shifted from the winding to the setting position, and viceversa, by the longitudinal movement of an arbor contained within thependant and by the rotation of which the winding and setting movementsare effected.

The object of my improvement is to communicate the shifting movement tothe train yoke by the longitudinal movement of a short stem arbor havingpositive connection with a shifting device, within the movement, withoutthe intervention of a spring the said positive connection being moreoverof such a character as to permit the ready insertion of the watchmovement in the case, and its removal therefrom so that watch movementscontaining my improved stem winding and setting attachment are adaptedfor immediate application to watch cases in common use, containing shortstem arbors, and hence may be applied to such cases interchangeably tosuit the wishes of the purchaser. To this end I construct the customarybevel pinion, employed to transmit rotary motion from the stem arbor tothe winding and setting train, with a square eye of sufficient size toreceive a spring clutch which engages the square end of the windingarbor by friction when the movement is inserted in the case and is thusmade to partake of the rotary and longitudinal movements of the windingarbor, transmitting the rotary movement to the beveled pinion and thenceto the winding and setting train in the customary manner, and in itslongitudinal movement sliding through the square eye of the beveledpinion and imparting positive movement in either direction to a shiftinglever, the free end of which is connected by a wrist pin with one arm ofa cam lever, the other arm of which bears on a suitable cam surface onthe train yoke, so as to shift the train by a positive movement intogear with the hands setting wheels when the stem arbor is drawn out andrestore it to its normal position, in gear with the winding wheel, whenthe stem arbor is pushed in. A spring is provided to hold the train inits normal position, in gear with the winding Wheel, when uncontrolledby the stem arbor, as when the movement is out of the case.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood by others skilledin the art, I will proceed to describe it in detail, with reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure I is a rear view of a watch movement with my improvement applied,showing in section, the case-stem, the beveled pinion and the clamp orclutch, which seizes the end of the winding arbor, and transmits itsrotary movement to the bevel pinion and its longitudinal movement to theshifting lever. The parts are here shown in their normal position, inwhich the stem arbor is pushed in, and the train is in gear with thewinding wheel. Fig. II is an opposite or front view of the movement,detached from the case, also showing the parts in normal position withthe train in gear with the winding wheel. Fig. III is a front view ofthe Watch showing the position of the parts when the stem arbor is drawnout and the train in gear with the hands setting wheels. Fig. IV is adetail view on a larger scale showing the cam lever on the front of themovement plate,a portion of the train-yoke on which it bears and thewrist pin which imparts motion to said cam lever from the shiftingleveron the rearside of the plate. The parts are here shown in the sameposition as in Fig. III. Fig. V is a perspective view on a still largerscale showing the spring clutch and beveled pinions detached andfragments of the winding arbor and of the shifting lever with which thespring clutch engages so as to transmit thelongit-udinal movement of thewinding arbor.

1 represents the case-center; 2, the pendant thereof; 3, the windingarbor having rotary and longitudinal movement within the pendant, and 4,the crown secured to the outer end of the arbor for imparting the rotaryand longitudinal movements thereto, and to force back the cover catchwhen this is used, as in a hunting case watch. All these parts may be ofthe usual construction found in cases as now commonly supplied by watchcase manufacturers to the watch manufacturers and the watch makingtrade.

5, represents the movement plate applied and secured within thecase-center in customary manner, and upon which is mounted the mitmotion through this and the intermediate wheel 12, to the cannon wheel13 for setting the hands. These parts may likewise be of usualconstruction. When the train yoke is uncontrolled, as when the movementis out of the case, it is held in its normal position in gear with thewinding wheel 10, by means of a spring 14.

For imparting positive motion from the stem arbor 3 to the train yoke7,1 employ the following device: The beveled pinion 6 is constructedwith a square eye of sufficient size to receive a square clutch 15, sothat the pinion may derive rotary motion from the said clutch, but thelatter may slide freely within the pinion, 6. The clutch 15, is splitlongitudinally as shown at 15 in Fig. V and formed square on the inside,thus providing a pair of spring jaws adapted to grip and adjustthemselves to the square on the end of the stem arbor 3. The inner endof the clutch 15, is formed with a flange or collar 16, which engages bya notch 17, a shifting lever 17 pivoted to the movement plate at 18, andat its free end carrying a wrist pin 19, projecting through a slot inthe plate and engaging with the forked end 20 of a cam lever 21,fulcrumed at 22, and bearing by the extremity of its free arm 23, upon acam surface 24, on the train yoke 7.

The operation is as followsz-lVhen the movement is out of the case thetrain rests in its normal position, with the train in gear with thewinding wheel 10, as shown in Fig. 11. To insert the movement in thecase the square end of the stem arbor 3, is first introduced within the.spring clutch 15, and the movement is then inserted and secured in theusual way. The act of setting it in position within the case centercauses the clutch 15, to grip the square of the stem arbor 3,withsufficient force to insure their moving together. The longitudinallymovable stem arbor and the train yoke are now in positive connectionwithout the intervention of any spring, so that when the stem arbor isdrawn out the clutch 15, moving with it, will draw the lever 17, in thesame direction, and this acting through the medium of its wrist pin 19,operates on the cam lever 21, and this on the cam surface 24, of thetrain yoke 7, so as to shift the train to the position shown in Fig. IIIin gear with the setting wheels, where it is fimly locked by theextremity of the free arm of the lever 21 hearing on the train yokedirectly in the line of motion. This simple device prevents theaccidental detachment of the gear from the setting wheels, and makes thesetting either forward or back certain and positive. By turning the stemarborin either direction the hands may then be set forward or backwardin customary manner. This done the stem arbor is again thrust into itsnormal position, imparting a reverse movement to the bell crank lever,the action of which,operating in conjunction with the spring 14,restores the train to its normal position, in gear with the windingwheel as shown in Fig. II. It will be understood that the constructionof the spring clutch forming part of the watch movement and slidinglongitudinally through the bevel pinion therein, adapts the device toengage automatically with an ordinary square winding arbor in the casependant, of indeterminate length, so that the device is not limited toany particular length or form of pendant arbor, provided only that theclutch is adapted to grip the arbor so as to be moved longitudinallythereby and derive rotation therefrom when the movement is once set inposition there is no movingfriction between the spring clutch 15, andthe stem arbor 3. The triotional contact between them afiords ampleresistances to prevent their longitudinal sepation and this insurestheir moving together.

The longitudinal movement of the arbor within the pendant is limited bysuitable stops and this prevents any excessive pull on the arbor andprecludes the probability of its accidental separation from the clutch.Hence after it is once set in position in the move ment it never willchange or shift relatively to the clutch. It will also be understoodthat the spring clutch automatically adjusts itself to the size of thesquare end of the stem arbor, so that any slight variationin size iscompensated for. When the movement is inserted in the case the shortstem arbor slips within the spring socket in the movement to anynecessary extent but engages therewith with sufficient friction to movethe train shifting lever to the full extent of its stroke by the outwardpull and inward push of the arbor. The two parts of the winding arbor,mounted in the pendant and watch movement respectively adjust themselvesto one another 7,

automatically and are thus adapted to work to gether in watch cases andmovements of different styles.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. A longitudinally moving clutch in the watch movement, constructedwith a spring socket to receive a winding arbor of indeterminate length,in a case-pendant; in combination with a train yoke with which theclutch is connected for shifting it, and with a pinion through whichwinding and setting motion is transmitted to the train, substantially asset forth.

2. The hollow clutch 15 in the Watch move ment constructed with a pairof spring jaws forming a square clamping socket, in combination With thelongitudinally sliding Winding arbor in the case-pendant, engaging byfriction with the square socket in the clutch 15 as described.

3. The combination of the pinion 6 in the Watch movement having a squareeye, the square clutch 15 also mounted in the Watch movement sliding inthe eye of the pinion 6 and imparting rotation thereto, and thelongitudinally moving arbor 3, in the pendant engaging by friction withthe clutch 15, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination of the spring clutch 15, the beveled pinion 6, Withinwhich it slides, and the shifting lever 7, moved by the longitudinalmovement of the spring clutch 15, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the longitudinally sliding spring clutch 15,beveled pinion 6, shifting lever 17, pin 19 forked lever 21, and trainyoke 7, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination of the sliding clutch 15, shifting lever 17, pin 19,forked lever 21, train yoke 7, and spring 14, substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

7. The hollow clutch l5 constructed with a square spring socket, acylindrical body and a base flange or collar substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

8. The combination of the winding arbor in the case-pendant and a trainshifting mechanism in the movement provided with a clutch slidinglongitudinally in the bevel pinion and constructed with a square springsocket engaging with the Winding arbor by friction as herein explained,for the purpose set forth.

DIETRIOH GRUEN. Witnesses:

W. J. SAVAGE, A. C. WILLIAMS.

